Substrate brands

[Sara08]

Hey Everyone!

So I am brand new to this forum and have a lot of questions! The business I work for has a box turtle and I am looking to update his enclosure. Including changing his substrate. But everywhere I look has different advice for substrate. I'm really hoping someone can help me with brands/substances.

I wanted to do a mix of organic top soil, sphagnum moss, and coco coir. Does that sound like a good mix? What should be the percentages of each?

Also what brand of organic top soil can I use? I've seen Black Kow, Timberline, Harvest Organic top soil, miracle grow organic garden soil, garden pro organic top soil, and Earthgro top soil. Does anyone have experience with any of these?

I'm open to other suggestions as well. Brands or good stores to get would be great!

Thank you!

 

[Tom]

I would not recommend soil or top soil. You don't know what its made of.

I prefer orchid bark for adults and coco coir for babies. Both can be bought at pet stores or cheaper in bulk and any garden center.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Can you make your own compost? Then you know it's clean with no additives. I've never been able to buy anything as good as the compost I make.

You can add a leaf pile to the indoor enclosure. It will break down & get ground in. My preferred indoor substrate is finished compost with less than half coir.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Can you make your own compost? Then you know it's clean with no additives. I've never been able to buy anything as good as the compost I make.

You can add a leaf pile to the indoor enclosure. It will break down & get ground in. My preferred indoor substrate is finished compost with less than half coir.

I agree make your own compost it's easy cheep and the best . But don't buy it you don't know what's in store bought .

 

[lisa127]

I use 100% organic peat moss for adult boxies. It comes in a very huge compressed bale at Lowes for $10

 

[DreamPets]

Hi, I have been using the Eco Earth Expandable blocks for over 2 years now. Im very happy with that, and have been thinking about the moss but have been warned it gets moldy fast. As far as top soil I was wandering the same thing, but haven't found one I liked as well as some are still against it.

To give you an example, I like to have enough soil for them to be able to bury themselves in, so one care sheet says a min of 3 inches, you could have more coir, and soil( if you use soil) say 2- 2 1/2 inches and the rest moss. If you follow the 3 inch rule. Others here have more experience with setups for indoors. Good luck!

 

[CanadianTestudo]

My box turtle has an indoor setup with 10cm of eco earth for substrate depth. I like it as it stays nice and moist, however it does make her dirty and therefore the water bowl dirty as well. This is not smth that bothers the turtle, but more smth that bothers the owner